Monday, April 2, 2012

Covered In Blood

The Battle of Selma was fought in Alabama on April 2nd 1865.

Union Major General James H Wilson had three cavalry divisions, made up of about 13,500 men.He led them south from Gravelly Springs, Alabama.Wilson’s Confederate opposition was Lieutenant General Nathan Bedford Forrest.As part of a running fight the Union troops beat Forrest at the Battle of Ebenezer Church on April 1st 1865, and then continued towards Selma, Alabama.

Forest arrived in Selma, Alabama early on the morning of April 2nd 1865, he and his horse covered in blood.Forest told the commander of the city’s military force, Lieutenant Richard A Taylor to leave the city. Selma, Alabama was well defended by three miles of fortifications, but Wilson divided his command into three columns, and broke through the resistances causing the Confederates after heavy fighting, to surrender the city.Most of the Confederate officers including Forrest and Taylor along with a good number of the soldiers escaped capture.The Union force saw loses of about 360 men, while the Confederate troops had about 2,700 casualties.